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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29982510">settling the score</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44'>j_whirl44</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Multi, Post-Campaign Setting, bc they all need PEACE, just these goobers having fun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:33:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29982510</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>old friends catch up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azu/Kiko (Rusty Quill Gaming), Commander James Barnes/Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom/Zolf Smith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>settling the score</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/gifts">MissSunFlower94</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Zolf can hear the banter from the front room as he cooks from the kitchen. The smell of garlic and basil mixing with the sweet sound of Cel’s laugh and Barnes and Kiko’s grumbling. He smiles as Azu’s booming voice cuts through it all with ease. He shakes his head as he focuses on cubing the chicken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Azu and Kiko wrote them a week or so ago saying they’d be in the area and would love to stop by and, of course, there wasn’t an objection from the three of them. So now they all sit in their small house by the shore and play games. Kiko and Barnes had an old bet to settle. Something about a game of Old Maid gone wrong. A feud that started between the two way back when they were waiting for them all to return form the Garden. Zolf still feels a bit guilty about that. All that time passed and those left behind on the bear didn’t know what to think. He knows Cel and Azu probably do too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nevertheless, they made it back after some time away and that’s when all of them knew to not take the people they care about for granted. It all worked out in the end. Thankfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cut to now, where the two are “settling the score” and it so far has involved them both taking cheap shots at the other while their partners giggle helplessly beside them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi! What are you saying to him,” Zolf hears Kiko accuse, “you were whispering in his ear just now what did you say?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cel’s voice speaks up next, “Wha- what oh nothing! I was just uh telling him how handsome he looked! I mean he does look handsome right now, and most times-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Most?” Barnes cuts in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well darling some morning I have to admit you don’t-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah yeah okay that’s enough,” Kiko brings everyone’s attention back to the game at hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf now enters with some appetizers of cheese and thinly sliced meats and sets it on the side table. He goes to return to the kitchen but Cel grabs him by the hand and pulls him down next to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grumbles when they pull him close, placing a kiss to the side of his head. “Cel I have to get back to cooking-” he protests. Though he’s not fooling anyone in this room about where he’d rather be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cel snorts, “That can wait you grouch just sit and watch the show for a few minutes,” they say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grumbles a little more but repositions himself to a more comfortable position inside their arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks at Azu who has a look of utter amusement and teasing on her face. He looks down at where her arm is securely placed around Kiko’s waist and gives a pointed look back to her. She replies with a wink and a shrug. She looks happy, and that in turn makes him happy. His chest feels light as he lets out a sigh and focuses on the game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He has to admit the back and forth between the two of them is something to behold. Two stubborn ex-pirates stuck in their prideful ways even if it’s just over some silly card game. Eventually, he really does have to go back in the kitchen to finish dinner but the noise Cel makes when he breaks free of their embrace almost makes him stay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second he’s out of the room Kiko lets out a frustrated scream and he hears the faint sound of cards being slammed onto the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a terrible cheat, Barnes,” she grumbles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you are a bit of a sore loser, my love,” Azu says. Her tone is full of fondness and what follows is Kiko grumbling about how that statement is false. Zolf laughs to himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, kid, better luck next time?” Barnes says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf enters the room again just in time to see Kiko glaring daggers at Barnes’ outstretched hand, lips out in a pout. She really is young, he thinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She does take it, after some polite pushing from Azu who once again shares a look between Zolf and Cel. They smile back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, with that whole business finished,” Zolf says, “dinner’s ready.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone’s mood lightens at that as they all get up from their seats and head to the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next hour or so is spent eating and drinking and laughing and Zolf looks around the table and can’t help it when the emotions that rise up to meet him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were a lot of times in his life where he didn’t think settling down with anyone, anywhere would be possible, but he survived it. Came out the other side with not one but two people he cares for by his side and he’s happy, happy to see them so happy. Azu and Kiko seem happy too, once Kiko finally calmed down from her loss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a sip of his ale and swallows. He focuses on the conversation at hand, which is currently Cel ranting about how building that damn boat with Barnes is going. All the modifications they’ve tried to add to it to help whatever it is they think needed “help” with it. It’s been a long process, and one the neighbors he’s sure hopes ends soon, but they’ll just have to wait a little longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The night continues on with no more incident, those both Barnes and Kiko try and play cards again, it’s quickly outvoted by the rest of the group, much to their dismay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two women say their goodbyes and head off on their journey. It’s just the three of them again. They sit on the couch by a  fire they lit that’s still going. Zolf reads with Cel’s head in his lap. Barnes is on the other side, with Cel feet in his. He’s writing in his journal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There comes a moment where Barnes stops and looks up, Zolf watches him from the corner of his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zolf. You think I’m handsome all the time, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf looks down at Cel who is trying but failing to hide a smile as they wink up at him. He lets out a slightly exhausted sigh and turns to Barnes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” he says. He opens back up his book and begins to read again. Cel chokes on a laugh they attempt to hold in while Barnes sits still for a moment. He goes back to writing in his journal, this time faster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf hides a laugh of his own as he shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know when his life got like this, but he’s glad for it.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happiest of Birthdays to my amazing girlfriend &lt;3 I hope this was fluffy enough for you </p>
<p>As always thank you for reading; hope you enjoyed !</p></blockquote></div></div>
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